Lakers could have had AD if they did THIS

The Los Angeles Lakers might have landed Anthony Davis by now if they’d picked Jayson Tatum and not Lonzo Ball in the 2017 draft, says Stephen A. Smith.

He told his ESPN Radio show: “I’m not saying Lonzo is a scrub, I know he can play, he’s getting bigger and is working on his game.

“But here’s the reality, two things are very real about him; his jump shot is lacking but more importantly than that, his assertiveness.

“My No 1 knock against Lonzo is a lack of assertiveness. He’s not aggressive enough. Why is all of this relevant? With a Kuzma, an Ingram, if you had Jayson Tatum – you think it would be harder or easier to make a deal with the Pelicans?

“You telling me the Pelicans would find it that easy to hold the fort if Jayson Tatum was available or De’Aaron Fox or Lauri Markkanen or Dennis Smith Jr or to a lesser degree Malik Monk or how about Donovan Mitchell?

“These are all people Magic Johnson passed up on to draft Lonzo Ball.”

Lonzo Ball and Jayson Tatum are both potential pieces in a trade for Anthony Davis (Image: GETTY)

LeBron makes Davis admission

LeBron James says the Los Angeles Lakers’ links to Anthony Davis may be distracting the team’s young stars.

L.A. were dreadful as they lost 136-94 loss to the Indiana Pacers, with much of their roster knowing they are available in a trade for Davis.

LeBron said: “I don’t know [if players were affected by trade talks]. I mean, obviously we have a lot of guys that have been in trade talks the last couple of weeks that’s never been in that position before.

“So you have to ask those guys and how they’re dealing with it. You can’t really ask me.

“I’ve never really been a part of that, but I’ve been a part of teammates, but I know it has to be tough on a lot of our guys, especially our young guys.

“You know, right now they’ve just never really been a part of it, and you know they’re hearing it every single day.

“I know that the worst thing that you can do right now is be on social media and I know all young guys love being on social media, so that definitely can’t help.”

LeBron James admits the trade talk cannot help the Lakers’ young guys on the court (Image: GETTY)

Pels’ Davis dilemma

The New Orleans Pelicans have not yet decided what to do with Anthony Davis if he does not leave the organisation before Thursday.

That’s what ESPN oracle Adrian Wojnarowski says.

He told SportsCenter: “They’re still discussing that. Anthony Davis’ agent Rich Paul had said that they’re going to play. If there’s no trade, he will honour his contract and continue to play for the Pelicans for the rest of the season.

“The organisation, I think, it still in a discussion about how they will handle it.

“Thursday at 3.01pm if he is not traded, that will be the next story in this saga. How will they handle him this last couple of months?

“If he’s going to stay, do they want him to get injured, do they want to put him in peril and perhaps lose value in a trade? That’s the conversation they’re having in New Orleans.”

Anthony Davis’ hopes of being traded before February 7 appear slim (Image: GETTY)

Lakers deal DONE

The Los Angeles Lakers have agreed a deal to acquire Reggie Bullock from the Detroit Pistons, according to report.

The deal is set to be completed and confirmed on Wednesday as L.A. improve their three-point shooting at the cost of a rookie and a draft pick.

Bullock has shot 41.1 per-cent from three-point range since 2015 and his seasonal average is only second to Lance Stephenson at Staples Center.

Lakers reporter Brad Turner said on Twitter: “Lakers have agreed in principle to acquire Reggie Bullock from Detroit for rookie Svi Mykhailiuk. Deal to be completed Wednesday. Lakers like Bullock because of his shooting.

Reggie Bullock is headed to the Lakers (Image: GETTY)

Hood relishing Trail Blazers move

Rodney Hood can’t wait to get going with the Portland Trail Blazers after leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Cavs got guards Nik Stauskas and Wade Baldwin and 2021 and 2023 second-round picks for Hood, who never really adjusted in Cleveland.

Talking about his move, Hood told reporters: “I think it was just a really good fit for me, personality-wise, game-wise, everything. So I’m excited to get started. This is a really good opportunity for me and I’m looking forward to it.

“I just want to be a part of winning, just throw myself into it. I’m not worried about coming in and trying to score X amount of points or getting some notoriety.

“It’s just about being competitive and being whatever the coaches need for me to do. And try to do it to the best of my abilities.”

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Wizards told to trade Beal

Stephen A. Smith believes the Washington Wizards should be looking to get rid of Bradley Beal.

John Wall – out for at least a year with an Achilles injury – enters the first year of a four-year, $169million supermax contract next year and he is therefore untradeable.

But there are doubts as to whether he will fully recover from such an injury and Beal, who has been excellent for the Wizards, could return a good package.

Smith said: “No-one wishes injuries upon anybody and John Wall actually is a really, really good guy and he plays hard when he plays and no-one’s trying to dismiss that about him.

“But on the flip side is my goodness, this has been going on for quite some time. I don’t know how he got the money that he got based on his health.

“Now that he’s gotten it but he can’t play, if I’m the Washington Wizards I strongly do consider moving Bradley Beal. I open up the phone lines right now before the trading deadline just to see what the price would be for him.”

The Wizards have fielded plenty of calls for Bradley Beal (Image: GETTY)

Cowherd makes Davis claim

The Los Angeles Lakers’ 46-point loss to the Indiana Pacers was because of the off-court distractions surrounding the team.

Much of the franchise’s roster are available as they seek a deal for Anthony Davis.

And in their final game before the deadline, the Lakers were obliterated by the Pacers and suffered their eighth-worst loss of all time – even despite having LeBron James on the floor.

And Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd said on Twitter afterwards: “This was the first night the Lakers looked like a distracted team whose heart wasn’t in playing defense.

“This is understandable. Half the team is waiting to hear if it has been shipped out.”

LeBron James and the Lakers were battered by the Pacers (Image: GETTY)

Beal urges Wizards patience

Bradley Beal insists the Washington Wizards should not blow up their team just because of John Wall’s injury, which could keep him out for 12 months.

It has been suggested Washington should rebuild with Wall, Otto Porter Jr. and Beal himself taking up much of the team’s salary space and having only helped them to a 22-31 record this year.

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Lakers want Ariza

Los Angeles were linked with a deal for the veteran swingman – who won a championship with the Lakers in 2009 – before he was sent to the Washington Wizards from the Phoenix Suns.

But he could be on the move again before Thursday’s deadline and L.A. could be tempted into making a move.

Shelburne said via Twitter: “In non-Anthony Davis news, Lakers continue to have a fondness for Trevor Ariza, should the Wizards make him available at the deadline.”

The Lakers remain interested in Trevor Ariza (Image: GETTY)

Celtics make Jayson Tatum decision

The Boston Celtics have so far refused to use Jayson Tatum as a piece in a possible summer trade for Anthony Davis.

Boston want to rival the Lakers for Davis to put him alongside Kyrie Irving and while the point guard’s future is uncertain at TD Garden, they want AD regardless.

And Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated say the Celtics have told the Pelicans to wait until they can move in the summer.

New Orleans could attract a better package from Boston and reportedly want Tatum, but the Celtics have not yet indicated whether or not he will be available. Mannix claim Pelicans sources are under the impression that nothing will be off the table.

The Pelicans are pretty keen on Jayson Tatum (Image: GETTY)

Charlotte make Marc move

The Memphis Grizzlies are apparently in talks to trade away franchise leader Marc Gasol to the Charlotte Hornets.

The Grizzlies look set to move on from the era of being led by Gasol and Mike Conley.

And NBA insider Shams Charania reports that the Hornets lead the way for 34-year-old center Gasol, who is averaging 15.7 points per game this year.

Marc Gasol could be on his way out of Memphis (Image: GETTY)

Davis takes to social media

Anthony Davis has perhaps suggested he is disappointed the New Orleans Pelicans rejected the Lakers’ final offer for him.

Yet the Pelicans demanded more picks and a deal is now in major doubt.

Davis liked this post on Instagram to hint at potential unrest.

He did, however, quickly remove the like.

Anthony Davis’ future is a major topic in the league (Image: GETTY)

Knicks a possible AD threat

The New York Knicks could be a major threat to the Lakers for Davis, according to Rob Parker of Fox Sports.

The Lakers and the Celtics are currently the front-running teams but Parker says New York – one of the All-Star’s four favourite landing spots – could become a threat dependent on the result of the NBA draft.

“You can’t make this deal, not now,” he said.

“There are just too many other suitors that would have more to offer in the summer.

“What if the Knicks get the first pick? They [Pelicans] need to rebuild and have a starter they can control for five or six years, that would be Zion. So they could potentially be in the mix.”

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Anthony Davis has named the Knicks, Bucks, Clippers and Lakers as his four preferred teams (Image: GETTY)

Davis to Lakers off?

New Orleans are continuing to demand more and more from the Lakers for Anthony Davis and Magic Johnson and co. have decided they will not bid against themselves any more.

That’s per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who says the Pelicans want four first-round and second-round draft picks added to the six players put on the table.

The Lakers improved their offer to include Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram, Ivica Zubac, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and two first-round picks for Davis, with the Lakers also taking Solomon Hill for salary cap relief.

As it stands, however, a deal is some way apart still.

Express Sport will have all the latest on the 25-year-old throughout the day.